


the shape of you, under the moonlight

by orphan_account



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Canon Divergent, Fluff, Jalec Secret Santa 2017, M/M, Parabatai Bond, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 14:43:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13125849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: After weeks of separation, Alec and Jace are finally reunited.





	the shape of you, under the moonlight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vanillabeans_and_cococups](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanillabeans_and_cococups/gifts).



Alec didn’t react when he heard the footsteps coming behind him, but he did twitch a little when a strong pair of arms came around his waist, relaxing into the embrace. He kept silent as a head came to nest against his shoulder, a little smile gracing his lips as he felt a kiss being placed against his skin.

“Hey you”, Jace said in a low voice, one hand drawing circles on his stomach.

“Hey,” Alec answered quietly, eyes still fixed on the city skyline in front of him.

Watching the myriad of illuminated buildings into the night always had a peaceful, relaxing effect on him, and today was no different. It always made him feel at peace, like he was home – and it was true, in a sense, as he had spent more time on rooftops than anywhere else since he had gotten his first rune and had been allowed to go the on the field.

“Missed you,” Jace said as he turned around, positioning himself in front of Alec, his hands resting on his hips. “I knew I would find you there,” he added in a quieter tone, eyes shining bright in the moonlight.

“I missed you too,” Alec answered before bending a little to kiss him, cupping Jace’s face into his hands.

Jace was warm and pliable against him, holding tighter onto his jacket as the kiss deepened, slow and tender. It always felt like the world disappeared around them when they were kissing like that, and today was no different. Alec could feel the parabatai bond thrumming happily between them, warming them up from the inside, and he smiled a little at the realization, enjoying the softness of Jace’s lips against his.

When they finally separated, Jace had turned into a puddle in his arms, and went to curl against Alec, holding tight onto him. Alec took advantage of his position to press a soft kiss against his hair before holding him tightly, closing his eyes to enjoy the moment until the last second. It was so rare for them to be able to share that kind of quiet peacefulness, he wasn’t going to ruin by speaking up before it was absolutely necessary – work be damned.

He had missed his parabatai too much.

“I still think you should have come with me,” Jace finally said after a long moment of silence had stretched out between them. “You’re the Head of the Institute. You should come on diplomatic missions.”

“I wish I could have come,” Alec whispered against his hair, opening his eyes and looking at the skyline in front of him once again. “But the Clave…”

“Orders are orders, I know,” Jace said before pulling away a little standing on his tip-toes to kiss him gently, a chaste touch against his lips. “But you’re not alone in managing the Institute. Lydia could have handled matters for a couple of days.”

“I know she could have. But they wouldn’t have let me go on a mission so far away when the fight isn’t over yet.”

Jace sighed a little at that, curling against him again, and Alec held on tighter, one of his hands moving to cup Jace’s head. He started playing with his hair, marveling – not for the first time – at the softness of it all. Just petting it never failed to make him relax, and it had the advantage of getting Jace to melt into the touch, closing his eyes and relaxing against him.

“I still don’t like it when we’re on separate missions,” Jace mumbled against his neck, his breath ghosting against Alec’s skin, making him shiver.

Alec hummed in acquiescence, still stroking the soft hair under his fingers.

“You’re being awfully cuddly, parabatai,” Alec finally said, putting another kiss in Jace’s hair. “Is everything alright?”

There was silence for a few minutes before Jace spoke up.

“I missed you, that’s all. It was lonely there, without you…”

“But you’re back and I’m here now,” Alec said in a low voice, putting one finger under Jace’s chin and forcing him to rise his head toward him. “I’m here,” he repeated slowly, his hand moving to stroke Jace’s cheek.

Jace blinked a few times, his cheeks reddening a little, before he moved upwards to kiss him again, eyes suddenly lightening up.

“How about we go back to the Institute?” he suggested, pressing a little against Alec. “As much as I enjoy the view” and Alec blushed a little, knowing he wasn’t talking about the skyline, “I would kill for a hot shower and our bed…”

“Let’s go home then,” Alec said quietly, moving to steal one last kiss before stepping away, satisfied with the dreamy look in Jace’s eyes.

ooOoo

As much as Alec loved the New York skyline, it didn’t hold up in the slightest to the view he currently had – of Jace being sprawled out on their bed with only a towel around his hips, half-lying on his side, one hand picking into the tray of food Alec had set up for the two of them, a few mission reports scattered around him. Alec paused a little at the bathroom door, eyes fixed on him, unable to take his eyes off Jace’s body. He could see bruises in various shades of blue, yellow and brown, as well as a few new scars that meant the wounds hadn’t been bothersome enough for Jace to use an iratze, the colors painting a new canvas on his skin. Of course, runes were standing out proudly, the parabatai one more visible than the others, the darkness of the rune more brilliant than everything else.

“You should come closer if you want to enjoy the view better, you know,” Jace said with a drawl, turning slightly on himself to look at Alec, abs flexing in the same move.

Alec’s eyes followed him and he unconsciously licked his lips before raising his eyes towards Jace, who was staring at him, one eyebrow raised in a cocky manner. Alec would have felt a little baited if it hadn’t been for the soft smile on Jace’s lips. He tilted his head to the side, a smirk growing on his lips, before walking to the bed and getting on it, tugging on Jace’s towel to bring him closer.

Jace laughed a little at that but willingly went, falling onto his back, towel now riding very low on his lips. One of his hands moved to stroke Alec’s cheeks and then play with his hair, brushing tenderly through the strands. Alec swallowed with difficulty, eyes darkening as he took in the fit form of his parabatai underneath his body. He moved one hand almost hesitantly, raising it to touch Jace’s face with reverence, before going down to kiss him passionately, not caring that his towel was ready to fall off his lips at any moment. Jace moaned loudly against him, hands moving to lose themselves in his hair. He felt the heat rising between them and was tugging once again on Jace’s towel when a beeping noise suddenly made him stop. Almost hesitantly, they both turned to look at the nightstand, where their phones were beeping in rhythm, the screen flashing before going dark.

Jace groaned loudly and fell against the bed, grabbing a pillow and putting it over his head with a pout. Alec bit his lower lip, hesitating for a moment before reaching over his lover to grab his phone and see what the message was about. As expected, it was the automatic alarm of the Ops room – which means they were supposed to leave the comfort of their room in thirty minutes’ time, geared up and ready for a new mission.

“This is just _cruel_ ,” Jace complained with a whine, voice muffled by the pillow. “I _just_ came back and we haven’t seen each other in weeks. We’re supposed to get the night off, we’re parabatai damnit!”

The fleeting thought that the night wasn’t the only one who was supposed to get off passed through Alec’s mind before disappearing. He put his phone back on the nightstand and curled against his parabatai, tugging on the pillow until it went out of the way.

Jace’s face was flushed but Alec couldn’t help but smile at the pout on his lips and bent down to kiss him, feeling laughter bubbling at the back of his throat when Jace melted against him, one hand moving to play with his hair while the other went down his back, nails putting a faint pressure on his skin.

“Our job never stops,” Alec reminded him, peppering his face with butterfly kisses.

Jace’s pout intensified and he suddenly stopped playing with Alec’s hair.

“There is a snow storm coming,” he started, raising finger after finger, “we can’t see anything a few feet away, it’s the middle of the night, we’re _entitled_ a night of rest _together_ considering that we’re parabatai and I just came back from a long-distance mission, and you want me to believe we’re the only persons fit for whatever we’re being called for?”

His voice was a little incredulous and Alec made a small grimace before plopping down on the bed next to him, one hand running on Jace’s stomach before settling down over the parabatai rune that was glowing faintly in the dim light of the room.

Wind was rattling fiercely against the window and it was true snow was already blowing outside, covered the branches and leaves nearby in a thin, white layer. The view was nice, and Alec wanted nothing more than to be able to enjoy it from the warmth of their bed, but the incessant flashing light on his phone made him feel a little guilty at the idea of scrapping the mission altogether.

Jace’s annoyance dimmed and turned into something quieter as he shifted closer to Alec, playing with his hair again.

“Do you think it’s a test of the Clave again?” he finally asked in a low, thoughtful voice.

Alec hummed quietly, fingers brushing over and over the lines of the parabatai rune. Ever since the two of them had become of age and Maryse and Robert had definitively stepped back from handling the Institute, the Clave had been assessing them to judge of their ability at becoming the next co-Heads of the Institute. Traditionally, only pair of parabatai or married couple were allowed to become co-Heads of the Institute, but just because the New York Institute had been in the hands of Lightwoods for a long time didn’t mean it would be handed over to them in the blink of an eye. The Clave had sent an envoy to assess them, something that had made Jace grumble quite a lot about it, but Lydia Branwell had soon become one of Alec’s closest friends, and he knew she would give them a fair assessment.

Besides, it didn’t hurt that she got along spectacularly well with his little sister.

“It’s possible,” Alec finally said, looking at Jace before moving to kiss away the frown on his face. “The assessment isn’t over yet, and you know your grandmother wants to do everything by the rules.”

Jace stayed silent, his hand stilling for a moment before resuming to petting Alec’s hair, the gesture enough to show it was to comfort himself more than anything else. Alec didn’t say a word, knowing it was still a sensitive topic for his parabatai. It had been difficult to believe that Imogen Herondale truly was Jace’s grandmother – his last real family member, and although they got along rather well, there was still a hesitancy in Jace’s attitude towards her that showed how deeply affected he had been by Valentine’s lies about his parentage.

It had been hard a blow when the truth had come out that Michael Wayland had died a long time ago and Valentine had been the one to raise Jace. Some Nephilims still mistrusted him over that, despite the fact that Jace was the best Shadowhunter of their generation and had _died_ trying to save the Shadow World. Only Clary’s wish to the Angel Raziel had brought him, and the parabatai bond with him, but it wasn’t enough in the eyes of some people. (It didn’t help that Clary was growing closer to her _real_ brother, while Sebastian was in the hands of the Silent Brothers while the demon blood was cleaned away from his body.) Despite the end of the war, Circle members were still on the run and not everything had gone back to normal. Alec suspected this was why they hadn’t fully been accepted at the new co-Heads of the New York Institute.

“Well, at least, she won’t be accused of favoritism,” Jace finally said after a long moment of silence, tugging a little on Alec’s hair to get him to move and kiss him.

Alec obliged all too happily, cupping his cheeks in the same move until all tension disappeared from Jace’s body, leaving him relaxed under him. It truly was a shame they had to leave their bedroom, because Alec had plenty of ideas on what to do once Jace was so pliant under him…

“We really should go to the Ops room,” he said in a regretful tone, Jace sighing a little before nodding. “If it really is a test…”

“The sooner it’s done, the sooner we can come back here,” Jace said in a decided tone of voice before getting away from the bed.

He dried himself off before throwing the towel, laughing a little at the look on Alec’s face in front of the glory of his naked body. Still, there was no time for that kind of game, and they soon found themselves putting on their mission gear, tightening their belts and tying their shoes before heading to the Ops room, hands held tight together.

Izzy was waiting for them, covered in multiple layers of clothes and sniffing every now and then. Her nose was redder than Alec had ever seen it be, an unfortunate consequence of the cold she hadn’t been able to shake off yet, but no one commented on it. She had a long-suffering expression on her face that softened when she saw them walking close together. Pair of parabatai who had been separated for a long time were expected to spend some time together, alone, before going back on the field, but Izzy knew what kind of scrutiny they were under.

“Honestly, we could have send someone tomorrow,” she said as a way of greetings when they reached her, “but well… demons don’t see to be bothered by the snow, unfortunately for us.”

“No kidding,” Jace mumbled in a low voice before taking a look at the coordinates on the screen. “Well, hopefully, this won’t take long. We had _plans_ , you know.”

Izzy’s face scrunched a little in front his suggestive eyebrow before rolling her eyes, an amused look slowly appearing on her face.

“Yes, I’m sure you did,” she said with a little smirk before shooing them away. “Be careful, and try not to get sick outside, it’s really cold!”

“Yes mom!” Jace answered as they were already walking away, tugging Alec by the hand.

He refrained himself from smiling, amused by the antics of his sister and his parabatai, before twisting his hand around so that he was firmly holding onto Jace’s once the doors of the Institute closed behind them. His shoulders relaxed a little when Jace’s fingers started stroking the available skin of his hand and he smiled fully this time, enjoying the little gesture of affection.

There was nothing that beat going on a mission with his parabatai at his side.

ooOoo

And fighting off a horde of Raveners was no exception to it. They had both needed the fight to unwind a little, and although it had ended quickly enough once they had stumbled into the building where the demons had been nesting, the fight itself had taken some time, by Shadowhunters standards. Alec knew to what it was due of course – the thrill of the hunt was sometimes accompanied by the thrill of the chase, and the two of them sometimes liked to play with their targets, especially when there weren’t any mundanes in the vicinity that might get injured.

Alec could still feel nervous energy pumping through his veins and he quickly walked up to Jace, who was cleaning his Seraph blade on the body of the Ravener closest to him. The fight had done him good and he was more relaxed now that their mission was over, a sense of contentment washing over him and through the bond. His cheeks were pink with the excitement of the fight and Alec felt himself fall in love a little again – he had never been able to resist Jace, and seeing him standing proud after a fight done well turned him on more than he liked to admit.

Still, Jace seemed to feel something through the bond and turn to look at him, an interrogative look on his face. Alec didn’t give him the time to speak, grabbing him by his jacket and kissing him fiercely. Jace yelped a little at being manhandled before kissing back as fiercely, his hands, moving down Alec’s hips – blade forgotten on the ground – before reaching for his ass and squeezing it playfully. Alec yelped a little in the kiss at that, getting a laugh out of Jace.

“Eager, parabatai?” he asked with a raised eyebrow, Alec blushing a little under his gaze.

“Always, where you are concerned,” Alec admitted quietly and he felt fondness surging through the bond as Jace moved to kiss him again, not caring about the ichor that was staining both of their clothes.

“Wanna get out of here?” Jace asked in a low voice.

Alec felt familiar heat bumbling inside him.

“There’s a little hotel not far from here,” he suggested in the same tone, his voice raspier than usual.

Jace raised an eyebrow, looking a little surprised.

“A _hotel_?”

Alec felt himself blush a little under the weight of his gaze.

“Yes. I though… I mean, we won’t get interrupted here, and they have room service,” he said in a hesitant voice.

His doubts disappeared as soon as Jace moved to kiss him again, the firm lines of his body pressing against Alec with such hunger he felt almost dizzy by the mere thought of it.

That seemed to settle the situation and they quickly walked to the hotel Alec had noticed. All in one, it was as well they had been sent on that mission, and he spared a grateful thought to Lydia. She understood the situation he was in better than a great many people, and he wondered if she hadn’t purposely set him and Jace up, so that they would have some time together in peace.

The hotel was a small affair, almost too discreet, but the room was more than comfortable, and the bed was _huge_ , which could only bode well for Alec. Jace literally threw himself on it, bounced a little and moaned out loud as he rolled around, Alec biting back a chuckle at his antics.

“Don’t stain the sheets with your dirty clothes,” he suggested him while taking off his jacket, purposely making it more sensual than he would have had in another setting.

Jace quickly sat on the bed, eyes roaming up and down his body before smiling a little, all cocky and full of panache.

“I might need some help with that,” he said in a suggestive tone, eyes following Alec’s every move as he was efficiently taking one layer off at time. “You know, I wouldn’t want to pull a muscle or something…”

“Or something,” Alec repeated with a smirk, kicking off pants and socks at the same time. “Well, while I go take a shower, how about you call room service? I’m starving.”

He disappeared in the bathroom under Jace’s indignant gaze, smiling a little to himself. Of course, he would have loved to share his shower, but he also had plans for the rest of the night – plans that did not involve spending too much time under the hot water that was falling onto his skin, making him relax. Besides, he hadn’t lied when he had said he was hungry, and he knew he could count on his parabatai to take care of _that_ before anything else. None of them wanted to have their time together ruined by something as menial as hypoglycemia.

It was Jace’s turn to be in the shower when room service finally showed up with the food that had been ordered, but Alec didn’t mind it too much. The bathrobe he was wearing was warm and comfortable, and he was fine lounging on the bed until Jace came out of the bathroom, drying his hair. He too was wearing one of the bathrooms of the hotel, and was drying off his hair, taking full advantage of the numerous towels at their disposal.

Jace quickly moved to the bed once he realized food had arrived, his eyes shining bright in the dim light of the room. Alec was careful to move the tray away, making sure his parabatai had all the place in the world to curl against him without risking to get food on him – at least not when it wasn’t the plan.

He loosened up a little at having Jace curled at his side, head on his shoulder – which gave him full access to pet Jace’s hair, getting him to relax easily enough. Although it was enough to get Jace to melt at his side, his parabatai still took advantage of the opportunity to draw circles on Alec’s skin, making him shiver a little at the gesture. That kind of moments – chaste and tender – were some of his favorites and Alec cherished them more than words could express. Even after all these years, he couldn’t quite believe he had been lucky enough to find his parabatai and have his feelings returned – especially after the way Valentine had trained Jace and taught him a particularly twisted way of looking at the world. Still, all the time he had spent in the New York Institute had done him good, and Alec couldn’t have been prouder of him – and wouldn’t have exchanged him for another parabatai in the world.

Jace was his to protect, but Jace was also his protector, and he couldn’t imagine a better person to bind his soul to.

“You’re thinking,” Jace said in a low voice, eyes closed, almost kissing Alec’s skin as he was speaking.

“Really?” Alec answered in the same tone, slightly turning his head to look at him.

The gesture got Jace to move a little, slightly tilting his head so that they were now both looking at each other.

“Yes… you got all thoughtful of a sudden. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Alec said truthfully before bending a little to kiss him, feeling the bond flare up between them. “I was just thinking of you, and…”

He hesitated for a moment. He had never been good at talking about his feelings, but with Jace looking at him with bright, expectant eyes, the snow falling on the other side of the window, the sounds of the city dimmed around them, well… it was easier than usual, all of a sudden.

“I’m just really happy I got to meet you and we became parabatai,” he said in a low voice, blushing a little.

Jace stayed silent for a beat before moving to kiss him gently. Alec could feel his heart beat erratically through the bond, and he moved his hand through Jace’s hair again, trying to get him to calm down. His parabatai was more touched than he liked to let it on every time someone sincerely spoke in such a way, and Alec knew what he had just said was enough to get Jace shaken to the core – although none of it was supposed to be a surprise.

“I love you too,” Jace whispered between two kisses, plastering himself all over Alec. “Meeting you is the best thing that ever happened to me, and it’s probably the only thing I can thank Valentine for.”

He frowned for a moment before the touch of Alec’s fingers through his hair got him to relax again.

They kept kissing slowly, languidly, for a long time before finally separating. The atmosphere was warming up nicely in the room, and Alec was grateful for the heating system of mundane hotels. No matter how technology advanced the Institute might be, the bedrooms tended to be quite cold in winter, and although he and Jace had found more than one way to keep themselves warm, it was still great to be able to lounge around in nothing but bathrobes.

“Weren’t you hungry?” Jace finally asked after a long time, hair disheveled, two bright pin spots on his cheeks, lips red and swollen due to all the kissing. “I’m pretty sure I remember you saying you were starving…”

Alec’s stomach grumbled as he finished his sentence and Jace laughed a little before moving to reach the food. The tray was still waiting for them on the other side of the bed and Jace carefully brought it between them, making sure neither the cups of coffee nor the actual food would fall down on the sheets – or, worse, on _them_. There was a nice assortment of both sugary and salty foods, most of them to be hand-eaten, and Alec gave it an interested look before settling more comfortably on the bed, setting a few pillows behind his back.

Jace set up his own pillows before settling on his side again, bathrobe half-open, giving Alec a nice view of his parabatai rune, which was glowing softly in the dim light of their room. The mere sight of it warmed him up from the inside, and his pleasure didn’t go unnoticed, Jace coming in to steal a kiss, his fingers trailing inside Alec’s bathrobe to graze his parabatai rune and then a little lower, before he turned his attention back onto the food.

“What do you want to start with?” Jace asked in a low tone, settling onto his pillows, positioning himself in a such a way Alec couldn’t help but look at the hard lines of his body, eyes fixed on the skin that was offered to him, until the bathrobe hid it from his vision.

His parabatai could be such a little tease sometimes, but he wasn’t going to complain about it – not when it was obvious Jace was intent on getting them to eat before moving to another activity.

“Surprise me,” Alec answered with a little smile, one hand moving to cup Jace’s cheek, stroking his lower lip and watching with satisfaction as his parabatai’s eyes darkened.

He had never been a big fan of being handfed, but, as it usually happened with Jace, his parabatai had a way of making it a lot more enjoyable – especially when Alec decided to reverse the roles a little. Besides, curled on himself as he was, Jace looked softer and more vulnerable than usual, looking at him with adoration – a look that Alec had never been able to resist to. Exchanging food also meant stealing kisses every now and then, the two of them always careful not to spill the tray between them. The coffee had cooled down enough for Alec to enjoy it, the bitterness hidden behind amounts of sugar he would never assume to consume in public – much to Jace’s delight, who loved showering him in hot, _sugary_ beverages at every chance he got. This had turned into a game between them – as a great many things had before – and Alec had retaliated on more than one occasion by bringing him spicy food. He didn’t quite understand the appeal of spicy mundane food but Jace loved it, which was enough in his book.

They cleaned out the tray quickly enough between the two of them and pushed it away as soon as they were done with it, before settling comfortably against each other once again. The exhaustion of the day was starting to fall over them and Alec wondered how long it would be before one of them fall asleep. He didn’t particularly mind the idea. After all, he had been the one to suggest they should go to a hotel, and although he had had an idea at behind his head when he had made the offer, he also knew they both a tendency to crash hard after a hunt – especially once they had eaten.

Jace especially looked ready to fall asleep, curled against Alec, one hand splayed over his chest while his head was resting onto Alec’s shoulder. He was particularly cuddly – just as earlier – and Alec took advantage of his position to kiss him gently on the head, fingers resuming to playing in his hair. Nothing could compare with the feeling of having his parabatai in his arms, safe and sound, breathing happily against him. Once again, he felt a surge of gratefulness at their situation and hold on a little tighter, getting a surprised sound out of Jace.

“What?” Jace mumbled, looking at him with surprised eyes.

“Nothing,” Alec said with a soft, private smile, moving just a little to peak a kiss on the top of Jace’s nose.

Jace looked at him in silence for a couple of seconds before shaking his head a little, a soft expression on his face. He didn’t say a word, only moved slightly to kiss Alec. The hand that had been splayed on Alec’s chest moved to the side while they kissed before going down, light as a feather and yet more teasing than the look on Jace’s face would have suggested. Alec’s breath hitched a little when Jace’s hand reached the knot in front of his bathrobe and paused. They stopped kissing, Jace looking at him with a playful smile on his face.

“Not too tired, I hope?” he asked with a raised eyebrow, laughing a little when Alec’s free hand moved to his back, going down as much as possible without disturbing their current positions.

“Never,” Alec answered in a low, raspy voice, moving to kiss Jace and bite his lip in the same move.

Jace moaned a little at that before attacking the knot, his other free hand coming to stroke Alec’s cheeks. He moved slowly, teasing with every drawn out move until Alec’s bathrobe fell open between them, a piece of clothing still half-covering Alec’s crotch. Alec’s hand stilled in Jace’s hair and the two of them locked eyes, losing themselves in the moment, before Jace bent down to kiss Alec. It was slow and languid, but Alec moaned out loud when he felt Jace’s hand moving the bathrobe away and finally started touching him. His hold got tighter on Jace’s hair, getting a little laugh out of him before Jace abandoned his lips for his neck, making his way all over his jawline before licking and nibbling at the rune on his neck.

The parabatai bond flared between them and Alec lost himself in the moment, not even realizing that their runes had started glowing in the room.

Snow was still falling outside but neither of them cared, too lost in their own little world.


End file.
